As we wait for the implementation of the new administration, several departments and staff changes have already been designated or proposed.
One of these is the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. While still needing senate confirmation, RFK Jr. has been vocal about a topic that as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Public Health expert for >25 yrs has me concerned.
He has expressed his reservation over the use of plant seed oils like canola (rapeseed) and sunflower oil in fast foods (which are also processed or ultra processed foods) and has suggested this is linked to the rise in obesity among Americans.
In his Instagram post he says “Seed oils are one of the most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods. We need to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again.” And that “one of the reasons they are in foods is that they are heavily subsidized”. And that they are associated with all kinds of very serious illnesses including body-wide inflammation”. “It is one of the worst things you can eat…”
On his X account he says “Fast Food is a part of American culture. But that doesn’t mean it has to be unhealthy, and that we can’t make better choices. Did you know that McDonald’s used to use beef tallow to make their fries from 1940 until phasing it out in favor of seed oils in 1990? This switch was made because saturated animal fats were thought to be unhealthy, but we have since discovered that seed oils are one of the driving causes of the obesity epidemic. Interestingly enough, this began to drastically rise around the same time fast food restaurants switched from beef tallow to seed oils in their fryers.” “People who enjoy a burger with fries on a night out aren’t to blame, and Americans should have every right to eat out at a restaurant without being unknowingly poisoned by heavily subsidized seed oils. It’s time to Make Frying Oil Tallow Again”
It is true that seed oils consumption has increased dramatically and are widely used in fast foods and ultra processed foods. These “foods” are already inherently unhealthy and steps should be taken to reduce the consumption of these products. Period.
Seed oils also were substituted for beef tallow around the 1990 while the rise in obesity started back in the 1970’s.
But replacing the oil used in fast foods with beef tallow as a proposed healthier alternative?
First, beef tallow, typically obtained from rendered beef tissue during the slaughtering process is unhealthy. Primarily made up of saturated fat, which has long been implicated in increasing risk for a variety of diseases. Since the inception of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980, and with every iteration of the guidelines thereafter, limits have been set for consumption (no more than 10% of total calories). The USDA, in 2024, has also proposed in a series of food pattern modeling to reduce the intake of saturated fat with options to replace saturated fat in the diet from solid fats with plant oils containing PUFA without any overall negative effect on nutritional adequacy.
A 2020 Cochrane review of trials found that reducing dietary saturated fat reduced the risk of combined cardiovascular events by 21% and that greater reduction of saturated fat resulted in greater reductions of CVD events. They also concluded that “Replacing the energy from saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) or carbohydrate appear to be useful strategies”. Newer research by Kim, 2021 in a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies also suggests increased risk for all cause mortality and cancer mortality from saturated fat.
· Seed oils are a significant source of polyunsaturated fat, particularly omega-6 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids get a ‘bad rap” as they are incorrectly categorized as inflammatory, especially when compared to omega-3 fatty acids.
· Both Omega 3 and 6 Produce Anti-inflammatory metabolites. We can no longer say Omega 3 are Anti-inflammatory and Omega 6 is Inflammatory. This is a misconception as Omega 6 fatty acids found in seed oils (Linoleic acid) are associated with no increased risk and in certain cases CVD benefit. Some of which are converted to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DHLA) which is anti-inflammatory.
· And there is research supporting that replacing saturated fat with PUFA, reduces risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
· It is the long chain fatty acid Arachidonic Acid that is the Omega 6 fatty acid that is pro-inflammatory and little LA is converted to Arachidonic Acid. Beef tallow as is red meat and other animal products are a significant source of AA.
With beef tallow comprising almost 50% saturated fat, this is not a good replacement for seed oils in fast foods or processed foods. What is needed is a reduction in fast foods and processed foods! Something probably most of the country is not interested in hearing as 36.6% of adults Americans consume about fast food on any given day with that number increasing to 44.9% in young adults. So it is not really an accurate picture to say “People who enjoy a burger with fries on a night out aren’t to blame”…they are enjoying it much more than just an occasional night!
A national US study by Martínez Steele, 2016, found ultra-processed foods (processed foods “engineered” to be high in fat/oils, salt, sugar) made up over half of daily calories and contributed a staggering 89.7% of the energy intake from added sugars. And the United States currently has the distinction of ranking among the highest in consumption. These ‘foods’ also meet the criteria for being addictive based on established scientific criteria.
And this should be focused on when examining the obesity epidemic we find ourselves in especially as saturated fat as well as ultra-processed foods are associated with other diseases besides CVD, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline and several others. So while I applaud any efforts in addressing the consumption of processed and highly processed foods, if we truly want to “Make America Healthy Again”, adding beef tallow to our diets seems counter to that mission. Instead, consumers can consider opting for a veggie burger or a grilled portabella mushroom burger as a healthier alternative and striving to reduce intake of processed and fast foods.
Lastly, perhaps RFK Jr, with his background in environmental law, should focus on commodities which are hugely subsidized, corn and soybeans. Seed oil subsidies make up a mere fraction compared to these, perhaps 30 times less. Corn and soybeans are primarily used to feed livestock, an inefficient and environmentally damaging way to feed the population, something worth putting into perspective compared to seed oils.
Dr. Tim Radak, DrPH, MPH, RDN
References
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https://www.instagram.com/robertfkennedyjr/reel/DBkBhZPRH6d/?hl=en
https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1848499491151745180
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/
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